@article{MAKHILLJAVA201211143595,
    title = {The Effects of MEM Vitamins and β-Mercaptoethanol on Porcine Embryonic 
  Development, Reactive Oxygen Species and Apoptosis},
    journal = {Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances},
    volume = {11},
    number = {14},
    pages = {2576-2583},
    year = {2012},
    issn = {1680-5593},
    doi = {javaa.2012.2576.2583},
    url = {https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?issn=1680-5593&doi=javaa.2012.2576.2583},
    author = {Il-Jeoung and},
    keywords = {MEM vitamins,maturation rate,embryonic development,ROS,apoptosis,porcine oocyte},
    abstract = {The objective of this study was to determine the synergistic effects of beta-Mercaptoethanol (&#946;-ME) and MEM vitamins (MEMv) as antioxidants supplemented into porcine maturation medium on maturation and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) of oocytes. In addition, the effects of &#946;-ME and MEMv on subsequent embryonic development, ROS generation by embryos and apoptosis of blastocysts following <I>In Vitro</I> Fertilization (IVF), Chemical Activation (CA) and Electrical Activation (EA) were investigated. Cumulus-Oocyte-Complexes (COCs) were cultured in North Carolina State University (NCSU)-23 medium supplemented with 0.05xMEMv, 25 &#956;M &#946;-ME and 25 &#956;M &#946;-ME and 0.05xMEMv, respectively. COCs cultured without &#946;-ME and MEMv were regarded as control. Maturation rate and ROS levels of oocytes at 44 h of culture were assessed. Oocytes were fertilized <I>in vitro</I> or activated parthenogenetically and embryonic development and the ROS levels on 2 days of culture and the apoptosis levels of blastocyts were evaluated. Maturation rate of the &#946;-ME and MEMv group was higher than that of the control group (86.0&plusmn;3.6 vs. 73.3&plusmn;1.1%; p&lt;0.05) although, ROS levels were not significantly different among the groups. Cleavage rate following IVF was increased in the &#946;-ME and MEMv group compared to those of other groups and ROS levels of the &#946;-ME and MEMv group were lower than those of the control group (6.9&plusmn;0.2 vs. 8.0&plusmn;0.2; p&lt;0.05). Blastocyst rate was increased in the &#946;-ME and MEMv group compared to those of the control and MEMv groups (p&lt;0.05). Conversely, the level of apoptosis of the &#946;-ME and MEMv group was lower than others (4.6&plusmn;1.0 vs. 11.4&plusmn;1.9%, 12.2&plusmn;1.8 and 15.6&plusmn;3.0%, respectively; p&lt;0.05). Cleavage rate of the &#946;-ME and MEMv group following CA was significantly higher compared with control while the ROS level was lower than the &#946;-ME group (19.0&plusmn;1.9 vs. 25.0&plusmn;1.7; p&lt;0.05). The blastocyst formation rate of the &#946;-ME and MEMv group was significantly increased than control while the level of apoptosis was lower than those of other groups (5.8&plusmn;1.2 vs. 17.2&plusmn;4.6%, 17.0&plusmn;5.2 and 22.6&plusmn;3.2%, respectively; p&lt;0.05). Embryonic developments following EA were not significantly different among the groups although, the ROS level of the &#946;-ME and MEMv group was lower (p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, addition of &#946;-ME and MEM vitamins during porcine oocyte maturation was effective on subsequent embryonic development in IVF and CA by alleviating the influences of ROS generation and apoptosis.}
    }